


Unfamiliar Familiarity

by CrypticNotCoy (Reveles)



Series: Outsider POV [21]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Art, M/M, POV Clary Fray, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27323821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reveles/pseuds/CrypticNotCoy
Summary: "Clary looked over at the two sharply dressed men that had just walked into her exhibition. For some reason, a jolt or recognition flashed through her, as if she had met them before"
Relationships: Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane & Clary Fray, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Outsider POV [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933177
Comments: 14
Kudos: 237





	Unfamiliar Familiarity

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after the TV show, I know most of my fics are book based but this idea just kept bugging me... I hope you like it!

Clary looked over at the two sharply dressed men that had just walked into her exhibition. For some reason, a jolt or recognition flashed through her, as if she had met them before. During the night, she kept noticing the way they always seemed to look at her, as if making sure she was okay. Clary had no clue what that was about. She supposed it might have something to do with the way there was almost a year missing from her memories, they way that she remembers realising she was in the middle of a park in formal wear with no clue how she got there, or how she doesn't remember how her mum died, or where Luke went, or even how her lifelong best friend, Simon, died. Or how she knows the blond man and the pale guy she keeps bumping into everywhere, or the girl with the ruby necklace who offered to teach her self defence.

Okay, maybe they had a reason for making sure she was alright. Still, Clary had no idea how she knew them, though the swirling black designs on one of the man's body triggered something in her mind when he was close enough for her to have a proper look at them. She saw a flash of an arrow, a rooftop, a wedding, but the images were gone as fast as they came, leaving Clary more confused in their wake.

She found herself watching them more throughout the night, in between talking to possible buyers. She noted the way that they always seemed to be touching in some way, or close to, as if they were afraid of the other disappearing. The looks in their eyes reminded her of returned soldiers, people who had seen horrible things and walked out different. Something about them made her want to paint them, in black, cobalt blue and gold.

Eventually, Clary worked up the courage to go over to them while they were standing looking at one of her paintings. The painting was of tan hands cradling blue fire, not in a threatening way, but like they were showing the viewer magic for the first time. Next to it, a painting of pale hands held a bow with an arrow nocked, about to fire. Further along the line of her paintings, another pair of hands held a glowing sword, the next, depicting feminine hands holding a snakelike whip. The second last was of her own hands, holding a pointed metal object that looked almost like a pencil. The final painting in that series wasn't of hands, rather a mouth with delicately pointed fangs, open, not in a snarl, but in laughter.

Clary remembered when she painted these, remembered that a name came to mind for each of them. Magnus, Alec, Jace, Isabelle, Clary, Simon. She had named the paintings for the name they made her think of, she wasn't sure why the last had made her think of her dead best friend's name, but she named it in his memory anyway.

"Do you like them?" Clary asked, as she neared the two men

"They're incredible biscuit," the Asian man replied

"They're really great," the other said, with a small smile

"Thank you," Clary replied, "They are for sale, so if you find one that interests you, just come and find me,"

"This entire series is amazing, we'll buy them all," the Asian man told her and Clary blinked in surprise. Usually, she would only sell one or two paintings at an exhibition, never an entire series at once.

"Wow, really?" Clary asked incredulously

"Yes really, how much will they be?" the other man said

"They're $195 each, so $1,170 in total," Clary replied and she couldn't deny that the money would certainly help her.

"Excellent, put them down to Magnus and Alec Lightwood-Bane. I'm Magnus by the way," Clary thought she saw a flicker of sadness in Magnus's eyes as he introduced himself, as if it pained him to do so.

"Of course, you can come and pick them up any time in the next week," Clary told them, placing a sold sticker beside each painting

"Thank you biscuit, they truly are marvellous," Magnus said sincerely

"They're incredible," Alec said with a smile before he and Magnus walked off. Clary watched as they left the exhibit, looking for all the world like a rich married couple. But for some reason, she thought that wasn't all there was to them.

She still couldn't fight the feeling that she knew them from somewhere, couldn't help but notice that the hands in her paintings, the ones cradling the flames and nocking the bow, were identical to those of the two men who had bought them. Even their names were the same as what she had called the paintings.

Perhaps it was coincidence, though it seemed too large to be. Over the next few months, Clary noticed them coming to her exhibitions more often, always buying something, and more often than not, paying more than her set price.

It was odd, she thought, but it was almost like they were looking out for her. Them and the other faces she saw often, the ones that looked so familiar yet so unfamiliar in the odd way Simon always used to when he wore contact lenses.

She couldn't deny though, that she appreciated having them looking out for her.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, this definitely isn't my best work but I hope you liked it regardless! I kind of want to draw Clary's paintings from this but I have no artistic talent, if one of you guys could draw/paint them I would be forever in your debt and I would love you forever!!! As always, feedback, comments and kudos are adored (though not necessary)! Until next time!  
> ~CrypticNotCoy


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